If your blood pressure numbers are too low, it can make it difficult to get through your day. It can also lead to a variety of other health problems if you don’t address the issue and it is left untreated. If your blood pressure is low, you may feel dizzy, confused, or have trouble concentrating on basic tasks. Generally speaking, a reading of 90/60 or lower is a sign that you have low blood pressure. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take on your own to help raise blood pressure to a consistent level. See your doctor to discuss your blood pressure and seek emergency medical care if you experience any serious symptoms.
[Edit]Steps
[Edit]Increasing Your Blood Pressure
- Drink more water slowly over the course of the day. Drinking water is good for you to begin with, but it can help raise your blood pressure if it is too low. Keep a cup of water next to you at all times and sip on it slowly throughout the day. This may not have as pronounced of an effect if you’re younger than 40, but it’s still a healthy, risk-free way to raise your blood pressure a little.[1]
- Aim to drink about of water daily. If you're active or feel thirsty, increase your water intake to stay hydrated.
- Excessive thirst is a common symptom of low blood pressure, so this should help alleviate the symptom as well.
- If you get sick of boring old water, go ahead and squirt some lime or lemon juice into the water to give it some flavor.
- Wear compression stockings to increase your pressure slightly. Pick up some compression stockings that fit tight, but don’t hurt to wear. These special socks can help increase blood pressure by keeping the blood in your legs from pooling up in your feet.[2]
- Maintain a low-fat diet full of fish, chicken, nuts, and vegetables. Eat a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean chicken, or fish. This is a good habit to begin with, but it’s especially helpful if you have low blood pressure. Eating a healthy, low-fat diet is an effective way to ensure that your arteries stay healthy and efficient, which is often a problem for people with low blood pressure.[3]
- Carbohydrates, sugar, and saturated fats may make your low blood pressure worse. Avoid junk food and sugary drinks as often as possible. Limit the amount of red meat you eat and use lean white meat and fish instead. A turkey or salmon burger can be just as good as beef burger!
- Other great options include cereal, eggs, and anything with dairy in it. Cheese is a great snack if you have low blood pressure,
- Oatmeal with some bananas is a phenomenal breakfast or lunch if you’re looking for a filling option.
- Eat 4-5 smaller meals instead of 2-3 bigger meals to stabilize spikes. When you eat a large meal, your blood pressure may go up and down rapidly as your body digests the food. Eating smaller meals more frequently is a great way to keep your blood pressure stable over the course of the day. Keep snacks nearby and eat smaller portions to fit in more meals.[4]
- Increase your daily salt intake after talking to your doctor. Simply put, the medical consensus is that too much salt is bad for you. However, for people with low blood pressure, a little extra salt is an efficient way to raise your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor to assess how much salt you should add to your diet, since the amount you can safely consume depends on other health factors.[5]
- Do not skip talking to your doctor about this before significantly raising your sodium intake since there are a variety of other health issues that can be triggered by excess salt. Eating too much salt for a longer period of time can lead to kidney disease, strokes, or spikes in your blood pressure.[6]
- If you do start increasing your sodium intake to raise your blood pressure, make sure you continue monitoring your blood pressure regularly.
- Shift your position regularly to keep symptoms at bay. Your blood may clot in certain parts of your body when you’re sitting, lying down, or standing in a position for too long. To keep your symptoms from getting worse, change your position every 15-30 minutes. Even small shifts will radically help you from getting dizzy or feeling out of it.[7]
- When you stand up, do it slowly. You’re more likely to faint or get dizzy when you stand if you have low blood pressure.
- Limit your alcohol consumption to keep your blood pressure stable. Aside from the fact that it’s generally not good for your health, drinking a lot of alcohol can drastically lower your blood pressure. Alcohol is a depressant, which causes your blood flow to slow down a little. Consume no more than 1 alcoholic beverage a night to keep your blood pressure safe.[8]
- It’s particularly important to avoid shots and drinks with a lot of hard liquor. Drinking a lot of alcohol quickly can trigger a sudden drop in blood pressure.
[Edit]Checking Your Blood Pressure
- See your doctor if you want the most accurate blood pressure reading possible. When you get a regular checkup, the nurse will almost always take your blood pressure before the doctor comes in. Ask for the reading after the nurse takes your blood pressure and discuss the results with your doctor. This is the best way to get an accurate reading and sound medical advice at the same time.[9]
- If you aren’t having any symptoms of low blood pressure, like dizziness or fatigue, it’s probably fine to just wait for your next physical to get your blood pressure taken.
- Check your pressure using the machine at a drug store for a general estimate. Many local drug stores and pharmacies have machines that you can use for free to check your blood pressure. Simply slide your arm into the opening and press the start button to wait for the machine to take your reading. This is a great way to get a basic idea of where you’re blood pressure is at.[10]
- If nobody is waiting to use the machine, sit down for 5 minutes or so before taking your blood pressure to get a more accurate reading.
- Buy a blood pressure monitor if you want to take regular readings at home. These are available from nearly every pharmacy or supermarket, and can cost as little as $20. These devices are a great way to keep track of your blood pressure numbers from the comfort of your own home. Simply wrap the band around your bicep and turn the machine on to take your reading.[11]
- Sit still and relax for 5 minutes before you take your blood pressure so that physical exertion doesn't affect your reading. Additionally, put your feet flat against your floor while you take the reading and don't cross your legs.
- Recognize that a reading lower than 90/60 indicates low blood pressure. When checking your blood pressure, the systolic reading, which is the top number, should be 90-120. The diastolic reading, which is the bottom number, should be around 60-80. If the systolic reading is lower than 90 or your diastolic reading is lower than 60, you have low blood pressure[12]
- Systolic blood pressure measures the pressure that is exerted on the arteries by the force of your blood being pushed through by your heart. Think of your body as a pipe. The systolic reading is how hard the water presses on the pipe when it’s flowing.
- Diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure that exists in your arteries when your heart rests between beats. If it helps, think of it as how hard the water pushes on the pipe when the tap on your sink is off.
- Keep in mind that everyone's body is different, and you will experience fluctuations over the course of each day. However, blood pressure numbers should be kept as close to these averages as possible.
[Edit]When to Seek Medical Care
- See your doctor if you have low blood pressure symptoms. Most of the time, low blood pressure is not a problem unless it causes symptoms. If you experience any of the common symptoms associated with low blood pressure, consult a doctor to walk through your options. They will assess what’s going on and recommend medical treatment options if necessary. [13]
- Common low blood pressure symptoms include dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, nausea and trouble concentrating.
- Uncommon symptoms that require medical attention sooner rather than later include fainting, blurred vision, and vomiting.
- Get emergency medical care for signs of shock. If your blood pressure drops extremely low, it can trigger a life-threatening condition called shock. Shock can damage your heart if you don’t address it quickly, and you may be at serious risk if it goes completely untreated.[14]
- Work with your doctor to treat any underlying problems. Low blood pressure is often a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Managing these conditions properly can help keep your blood pressure levels under control. If your blood pressure is consistently low, see your doctor to try to identify and treat the source of the problem.[15]
- You may have low blood pressure if you’re pregnant. Take a pregnancy test to see if you’re expecting a child!
- Low blood pressure can be a symptom of several heart conditions, thyroid issues, dehydration, anemia, or allergies.
[Edit]Video
[Edit]Warnings
- Avoid incorporating a ton of saturated fat or sugar in your diet. Fat and sugar can cause your blood pressure to spike and reduce suddenly, leading to periods of dizziness and exhaustion.[16]
[Edit]Related wikiHows
- Raise Low Blood Pressure
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- Naturally Lower Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- Lower Blood Pressure Quickly
[Edit]References
[Edit]Quick Summary
- ↑ https://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=1022
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/basics/treatment/con-20032298
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/beating-high-blood-pressure-with-food
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355470
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/basics/treatment/con-20032298
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/basics/treatment/con-20032298
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355470
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16922819
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/basics/symptoms/con-20019580
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blood-pressure/how-accurate-are-drugstore-blood-pressure-machines
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blood-pressure/how-accurate-are-drugstore-blood-pressure-machines
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/reading-the-new-blood-pressure-guidelines
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20355465
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20355465
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20355465
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar
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